


A Very Gradual Seduction

by NanakiBH



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Confessions, Drinking, First Time, Kissing, M/M, Masturbation, Pre-Canon, Sumata
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-04-10
Packaged: 2018-03-22 04:22:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3714868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was an evening similar to any other, but Ignis had the feeling that the next day would be very different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Very Gradual Seduction

**Author's Note:**

> All hail Ignoct.

Ignis crossed the room with confident strides as the atmosphere rose with the graceful singing of strings. The people on the floor, too sophisticated for dancing, parted and allowed him to pass as he made his way toward the prince. Despite being a person of interest at this event, Noctis was suspiciously devoid of attention. His sour expression and the closed-off air around him seemed to be working wonders to repel anyone with an interest in him. There were others who were nervous to speak to him, but seeing him made Ignis smile. He didn't like seeing him looking so uncomfortable, but that expression was so like him, familiar.

“Drinking, are you?” he asked, gently clinking his glass against the prince's, creating a bright sound.

Giving a humorless snort, Noctis leaned against the wall and looked away, pretending to take interest in the crowd. “No one's here to babysit me. I can have a drink if I want.”

Ignis couldn't tell if that were meant to be a jab at him because he had, in fact, been keeping an eye on him all night for his father, and he had also happened to notice that this wasn't Noctis's first drink, despite his careful choice of words. He had been occupied for just long enough to possibly miss one, so he could only speculate the number. No matter the count, the light flush in Noctis's cheeks suggested that he'd had enough.

Any more and... Well, Ignis was curious what would happen if he had too many. He wasn't going to allow that to happen, but the thought of seeing what the prince was like when he had too much to drink was too interesting to deny.

Gently, he took the glass from his hands, and Noctis didn't argue with him as he placed it on the bar. The man tending the bar gave him a curious look, and Ignis gestured for him to take it before the prince changed his mind and decided that he needed to keep it. Getting the hint, he hurriedly took it, nodded politely to Noctis, and took it away.

“So what did you come over here for? Couldn't you tell that I was having a great time all by myself?” Noctis asked sarcastically, giving him a look that clearly asked why he hadn't bothered coming to save him sooner. “And now I don't have a drink. If we're just going to stand around here, then I don't see the point anymore. Did you want to ask me for a dance? Or do you wanna go somewhere?”

Knowing that Noctis wouldn't enjoy talking to anyone he didn't know, his father said it would be alright if he only talked to the people who wanted to speak with him first. But so far, it looked like he had done a fine job of removing his own presence from the room by blending into the background. It was an astounding feat, considering his importance. He looked stunning in a suit, but the attitude he was projecting was ruining it. Ignis knew that he wasn't as disagreeable as he looked, but no one else realized that he was just a quiet, shy boy.

If Noctis gave them the chance, Ignis was sure that anyone else would be able to see it too, and Noctis might've even begun to enjoy himself if he allowed himself to relax around others the way he relaxed around him.

He sighed, shaking his head with a smile. Noctis was always the same. It might've been in his best interest to change, but Ignis liked him this way. It made Ignis feel special, knowing that he was among the few who understood who Noctis really was. It took him a long time to grow closer to him, so it felt like a privilege. It wasn't his job to make Noctis easier for other people to understand. He was just his proxy. If they wanted to understand him, then Ignis would translate.

The real Noctis... It was probably wrong of him to think so, but Ignis selfishly wanted that Noctis to be all his.

Surveying the room, Ignis spotted a few people of interest who were milling about unoccupied. “I think it'll be alright if you leave early as long as you speak to some people first,” he suggested.

Noctis looked at him like he was asking him to swallow needles. “I think I'd almost rather stay and be bored, thanks. If I planned to do that, I would've at least finished my drink first, but someone got rid of it.”

His eyes went to the drink Ignis was holding. Taking a step closer to him, he took hold of Ignis's hand and lifted it, bringing the glass to his own lips. He glanced up, testing him with a very confident look, but that composure was demolished once he got a taste of what was in the glass. Sputtering, coughing, he waved a hand in front of his face and held back tears that sprung to his eyes.

“What _is that?_ ” he asked.

Ignis lifted it, bravely taking a sip from the same spot Noctis had touched with his lips, proving in two ways that he was capable of drinking it without making such a scene. “It's whiskey. With a reaction like that, I take it you haven't tried it before. I thought for sure you'd be able to tell what you were getting into just by the color and smell of it, but, well... Clearly I misjudged.” He took another small sip. “You sip it. You can do a shot of it too, but the mouthful you tried certainly isn't what I would've recommended.”

“My throat's tingling...”

“Yes, I bet it is. That's what you get for trying to show off.” He thought back to the color of the drink Noctis had been holding; something with a bright blue color. “What was that you were drinking, anyway?”

Having more or less recovered, Noctis paused to think. “Uh... Yeah, hell if I know. I just told the bartender to make me something good. It was kind of sweet and citrusy.”

Knowing that the prince probably had no idea what he was drinking, Ignis realized that the bartender must have been giving him light cocktails – girly drinks. He really wanted to laugh, but he held it in. When he wasn't around, Noctis was easily fooled.

Now that he knew that he was nowhere near inebriation, Ignis extended his drink toward him. “Think you can handle the rest of mine? Will that help you socialize?”

Noctis stared at it, still not fully convinced, though he appeared ready to accept the drink's challenge.

“I can come with you, if you'd like,” Ignis offered. “That's what I'm here for, after all.” He knew that Noctis would feel more comfortable talking to someone he didn't know as long as he was by his side. He didn't want him to feel like he was 'babysitting' him like Noctis had put it earlier, so he left it up to him to accept his support.

Noctis grabbed the glass from him, but he hesitated, staring into the surface that reflected his moody face back at him. Looking up, he scanned the room, looking for his prospective conversation partners. He was probably familiar with a number of faces, but most of them were complete strangers to him. These were all people he should try to know, for the sake of his own future. Unlike the prince, if there were a person Ignis didn't recognize, he at least knew them in relation to the person they were attending with, so he had a fine understanding of who he would be talking to. Noctis couldn't be blamed if he felt afraid to speak to some of them, anyway. There were a few people Ignis would rather he avoid, familiar with their penchants for gossip or their resentful histories with the royal family.

Eyes lowering to the drink in his hands again, Noctis swirled a finger around the lip of the glass. “Why's it so important that I speak with these people anyway? I don't have any influence.”

“You really think that?” Ignis wasn't necessarily surprised that he would say something like that, but it disappointed him that Noctis still didn't recognize or acknowledge his own worth. “You'll be king one day, Highness. These people may be friends and acquaintances of your father, but they aren't as familiar with you. Some of them may be loyal enough to your father to trust you by extension, but there are others here who would be more likely to aid you in the future if they feel like they know you personally. You don't have to be best friends with them, but you want them to like you.”

Still looking deeply exhausted by this non-ordeal, Noctis refused to raise his eyes. “It's a pain.”

“It could be fun.”

“Huh?” He finally glanced up, confused.

“Talking to people,” Ignis clarified. “It could be fun. We can get away after. Come along.”

With that, he abruptly turned and began walking away, and Noctis followed, so bewildered by the sudden decision that he hadn't even touched the drink. The person Ignis guided him toward was the wife of the chancellor. The chancellor himself was busy talking to someone else, but Ignis saw this as a unique opportunity. Though dripping in expensive jewelry and opulent fashion, his wife was a kindly woman. She was instantly thrilled to meet the prince, telling him what an honor it was, showering him in compliments. Ignis could tell that Noctis was a little overwhelmed by her motherly attention, but he seemed to be flattered nonetheless. Just as Ignis hoped, she led the conversation, having so much she wanted to say to him.

When the chancellor finally joined them, Noctis introduced himself. He didn't seem to know what to say to him, which is why it was all the better that they'd spoken to the chancellor's wife first. Immediately, she filled her husband in on all the details of their conversation and told him what a fine person the prince was. Fond of his wife, the usually stony-faced man gave Noctis a smile.

Any time Noctis seemed unsure of how to respond, Ignis smoothly stepped in with a word or two to keep them from stalling.

Overall, it went well, he thought. By the time the pair needed to step away, Noctis was looking much more relaxed. And he still hadn't touched his drink. Ignis was starting to wonder if he were afraid of it.

Turning to him, Ignis gave him a pat on the shoulder for his hard work. For someone else, it might've been nothing, but it was a small step in the right direction for the prince who normally hated socializing.

“I think that went quite well, don't you?”

He may have spoken too soon. Noctis lifted the glass and swallowed its remaining contents all at once. His face got a little redder, but he weathered the burn without making a scene this time.

“Alright, let's get out of here.”

Ignis crossed his arms, amused. “Was it really that hard?”

Noctis stared at him and didn't take his eyes away as he placed the empty glass on a passing waiter's tray. “It was fine. They were both really nice, but I wouldn't do it again if I had the choice. You said that we could get away after that – so? Are you going to come with me or not?”

After such a successful conversation, he had hoped that Noctis would've been more interested in speaking to some others, but he couldn't force him. Progress was progress. Now, if Noctis wanted to get away with him, he would happily keep him all to himself.

“As you wish.”

Giving him a small bow that was entirely for show, he gestured to the stairs. Noctis led, descending the stairs with a gait just fast enough to give away how badly he wanted to leave. With the music fading behind them with each step, they reached the lower level and the elevators. Noctis hit the button to call it, then leaned against the wall as they waited.

Looking around, Ignis felt himself fall into one of those unusual moments where he felt especially aware of his surroundings, seeing the things he saw every day in a different way.

“Does it ever feel strange, having an elevator in your home?” he asked.

“What do you mean? You live here, too,” Noctis said, looking at him like he was odd.

Ignis just made a thoughtful sound with his lips closed, thinking. For a moment there, he remembered what it was like, living in his hometown. The place he came from was very different from the Lucis Kingdom. There, no one would've had a home large enough to need an elevator to get from one floor to another, but it probably wasn't unusual at all for anyone living in Insomnia, considering how many lived in apartments.

It was thoughtless of him to ask at all. There wasn't any point in bringing it up. After all, like Noctis said, this was his home, and it had been that way for a long time.

He didn't know why... For some reason, he just had the feeling that it might not always be that way.

The elevator arrived with a chime and Noctis stepped inside and pressed one of the buttons. Shaking off his thoughts, Ignis followed. The moment he stepped inside the elevator with him, he realized that he didn't know what they were doing or where they were going. He knew what sort of thing he had in mind when he agreed to accompany him, but it wasn't professional at all. It couldn't have been what Noctis was thinking.

Or, maybe he was wrong.

As soon as the doors closed, he found himself backed into one corner of the elevator with Noctis's fingers quickly unbuttoning the front of his suit jacket.

“Highness! What do you think you're doing? There are cameras in here!”

Yes, that was his priority.

“Hush,” Noctis said, his eyes serious as he lifted a finger to Ignis's lips. “Seriously, what do you think I'm doing? Why don't you ever take responsibility for the things you do to me?”

Not totally sure of what Noctis was talking about, Ignis tilted his head, hoping that he appeared as confused as he felt. “I'm sorry, Highness. I- Have I offended you?”

“Where the hell are you getting that?” Noctis laughed. With a sigh, he let his hands fall and came closer to rest his head against his shoulder. This sudden proximity confused Ignis even further. “What do I even say?” he muttered.

Coming to a stop, the elevator chimed and its doors opened. Even still, Noctis acted like he hadn't noticed and kept his head down, standing still. The silence wasn't suffocating, but it made Ignis feel more aware of something. It might've had something to do with the odd feeling he had earlier, like the atmosphere around Noctis had changed. The closer he got, the harder it became for Ignis to think clearly. By the time Noctis was this close, he wasn't sure he was himself anymore.

With his face partially hidden, Noctis had more courage to speak, saying honest things that Ignis was sure he wouldn't have heard him say aloud otherwise.

“The whole time, I could feel you watching me. I know that's what you do, but...” He paused for long enough to make Ignis wonder whether he intended to keep going. Just when Ignis opened his mouth, Noctis surprised him. “You look... really handsome tonight. This is a nice suit,” he said, patting his chest awkwardly.

“Th... Thank you, Highness?”

Nodding to himself, Noctis stepped back and held open the elevator doors that were just about to close. He waved a hand for Ignis to go first, and Ignis stepped out, feeling more confused than ever. If he had to take a guess at what was going on, he wouldn't have said that it came out of nowhere. For a long time, he and Noctis had been growing more and more comfortable in each other's presence. Ignis felt proud of how well he was able to assume what he was thinking. Though he had a feeling that he knew what was on Noctis's mind, it felt too presumptuous of him to assume that it was the same thing he wanted.

Did he make Noctis mad because he was ignoring it?

He continued to follow him toward their now-obvious destination. With each step, he grew more confident in his conclusion.

“I'm sorry,” he said.

Noctis's step faltered for a moment before he realized what he was really saying.

He didn't look at him, but he kept his shoulders square. “If you're sorry, then you know that there's only one way to make it up to me.”

Ignis felt a grin uncontrollably curl the corners of his mouth. “Only _one_ way, Highness?”

He heard Noctis make something of a laugh, and his pace quickened, anxious to reach where they were headed, some of his earlier hesitation abandoned. Ignis simply followed along behind him, walking without a hurry.

They had barely said a thing. The words they exchanged were vague, but the feeling in their voices was clear. Each step he took was bringing him closer to something they had been dancing around, and a part of him was worried that it was a mistake. At the same time, he felt ready to surrender to it.

It had been this way for a long time, but now things were changing.

That was the feeling he had earlier, and now he understood.

Ever since they were small, they were forced to be close. The friendship they had was something created by someone else, but the relationship that ultimately formed between them was something different, and it was always changing. Now that they were older, it only seemed natural that he finally turn around and see it for what it was.

He shouldn't have been using his intellect to fight it. Doing that was only hurting Noctis, and Noctis really didn't need anything else making his life more difficult.

Thinking that way, though, it was difficult for Ignis to not worry.

“Ignis.”

He hadn't even realized that he'd stopped until he looked up and noticed that Noctis was standing at a stop about halfway down the hallway with his arms folded, waiting. Giving him a concerned look that made Ignis feel like a disappointment, Noctis returned to him and looked him over, trying to figure out what made him stop.

“It's nothing for you to worry about,” Ignis assured him. This was his problem. If he wanted to give Noctis what he wanted, if he wanted him to be happy... No, it wasn't as easy as Ignis thought it would be. There were too many things he still needed to consider. Following him might be a mistake, but it was too difficult to turn around now without telling him about what he was thinking. Whatever he did, he couldn't tell him that he thought he wasn't good for him. Even if he did, Noctis would surely disagree.

That felt a little reassuring and made him smile, even if it were just a weak smile that struggled beneath heavy thoughts.

Tapping his fingers against his arm, Noctis turned and continued walking. “You know, you're going to get wrinkles from worrying all the time. All your thinking already makes you look older than you are. It'd be a shame – wrinkles, that is.” He paused awkwardly, then took another glance over his shoulder at him. The look he gave him lingered significantly, but he turned back around like it was nothing.

“What was that? What was that look about?” Ignis asked, indignantly rubbing at his forehead, distressed that Noctis might already be right.

Finally, they reached their destination, but, before Noctis reached for the door handle, he looked up at him timidly. “Just thinking.”

That was cruel. “You can't just say something like that. Now I'm going to die of curiosity. Is that what you want, Highness?”

“Hey, you're the one who won't tell me what you're worrying about,” was Noctis's rebuttal. “If you want to know what I'm thinking about, then you have to tell me what you were thinking about. It's only fair.”

Noctis's idea of fair wasn't perfect, but Ignis couldn't argue with it. Problem was, he had the feeling that what Noctis was thinking was nowhere near as heavy as what he was thinking. But Noctis clearly wanted to know. It didn't feel right to lay his weight on him, but if they were going to become more involved with each other, then it didn't feel right to hide things from him, either. There was no winning.

Opening the door, Noctis allowed him inside and immediately followed, closing and securing the door behind them. Ignis was no stranger to Noctis's room, but this was the first time he'd been there as a...

He didn't know what to consider them yet, but he figured that he would find out by the end of the night, one way or another. For better or worse, their metamorphosis was about to be completed, and he felt nervous, anxious to find out what conclusion awaited them. For the first time in a long time, he felt completely unprepared. He had no idea how to conduct himself in such a situation. One thing was certain, though.

Noctis had barely made it into the room before Ignis placed a hand on his shoulder and turned him. Locking eyes with him, he placed his other hand on Noctis's opposite shoulder.

“I want to take care of you.”

Slowly, Noctis blinked, staring. All at once, he turned red and let out an incredulous _What?_ , stunned by this sudden, unconventional confession. Pushing off his hands, he hopped back and frantically looked around, searching for the lamp on the dresser.

“Th-the heck is wrong with you?” he muttered nervously. Ignis would've been worried, except he could see that Noctis was smiling. “Is that what you were thinking about back there? Y... You could've told me that sooner. It's embarrassing, but it's not something you had to keep from me. You already take care of me enough as it is. Was that really all?”

Now that he said the words that took importance, the rest didn't feel like it mattered anymore. If he really stopped to think about those things some more, he was sure that they would start to bother him again, but, at the moment, he felt such a high after telling him what he felt that it hardly mattered.

Admitting it felt like it would just ruin the mood now, but Noctis was looking at him expectantly.

Fixing his glasses, Ignis held his fingers to his chin thoughtfully. “I can't be confident about everything. I don't think I'm the best person for you, but,” he said, stepping a little closer, “I want to be.”

Noctis nodded understandingly. “That's fine. 'Perfect' doesn't exist, but you make me believe.”

The prince was a very dangerous person. If only he could hone that kind of power, he could take down an entire nation with his charm alone. It was an unbelievable honor to hear him say something like that. Ignis wanted to brush it off as a matter of course like usual, but he was honestly touched.

He wanted to thank him, but he remembered that he couldn't let the prince off the hook just yet.

“So. Before. When you were staring at me so strangely...”

Noctis's shoulders jolted and he hurried into the room, busying himself by turning on the lamp at his bedside, pretending like he just hadn't heard him. Ignis insisted, though. It was only fair.

Sinking onto his bed, Noctis toed off his shoes and leaned back with his palms behind him. His eyes went to an insignificant corner of the room, lazily searching the blank space on the wall. “Shit,” he muttered. “I guess I'm cornered, huh? No way out.” He sighed. “Well. You already told me some dumb romantic stuff, so I guess it's not _that_ bad in comparison.”

“ _'Dumb romantic stuff'_...” Ignis repeated slowly, chuckling to himself. “Yes, I do suppose that's one way you could put it. My feelings for you are indeed dumb and romantic.”

Worrying his lower lip between his teeth, Noctis finally told him what embarrassing thing he'd been thinking. “I already told you how good you look right now. I was just joking when I said you were going to give yourself wrinkles, but then I kind of looked at you and thought, 'Whoa, I bet he's going to be even more handsome when we're my dad's age.' So... There you go. Have yourself a laugh.”

After that, there could only be silence.

Unnerved, Noctis finally looked at him, trying hard (and failing) to hide his embarrassment. “Well?”

“You don't truly expect me to laugh, do you?” Ignis asked, coming to sit beside him. The inch between them, their legs nearly touching, didn't feel like something forbidden now, and he let himself lean a little closer. “I thought it was rather touching, actually. You feel that seriously about me, Highness? Do you think you'll want to be with me even when I need thicker glasses?”

Making a face at him, Noctis raised his hands, pinching his glasses between his fingers, and slid them down Ignis's nose. Tentatively, he leaned toward him to place a quick kiss to the bridge of his nose. “We've been together this long. What are a few more years and a few more after that? I can't think of anyone else I'd want to spend that time with.”

“You didn't have too much back there, did you?” Ignis asked, just to be sure.

Noctis lightly patted his cheek. “No. I'm totally fine, and I know what I'm saying. Thing is, I wanted to get away because I wanted to fuck, and look where it got me. We're on my bed, so that's a success, right? But after all that talking, I feel like I could just fall asleep now. I'm worn out.”

As if to illustrate, he moved back and laid down on the bed. The moment he put his head on the pillow, his eyes fell shut. He wasn't just pretending, either. Ignis could tell how exhausted he was, and it wasn't just because of the things they talked about. The event must have been stressful for him, and there were always other things – darker things – that plagued him. Ignis hated seeing him so tired, but he felt a little better knowing that Noctis would be happy to let him take care of him.

He didn't stop himself and didn't even think twice as he reached over and touched Noctis's hair. He placed his palm gently against his forehead and brushed his hair away from his face. It wasn't the first time he'd touched him like that, but it felt different now, like something intimate, like something only he was allowed to do. If Noctis fell asleep now, Ignis didn't know what he was going to do, but he didn't feel like leaving him.

A hand was placed over the one stroking his hair. One glimmering eye tiredly opened to look at him.

“I still wanna do it,” Noctis mumbled.

Ignis gave a short laugh. “I see. I knew you weren't going to give up that easily.”

Even knowing that, Ignis felt unsure. They'd never gone that far together before. He'd thought about it, of course, and knew essentially what they were supposed to do, but he had no experience. It wasn't something he could exactly practice alone, unfortunately. On the bright side, perhaps, he realized that the young master probably didn't have any experience, either. The two of them were on the same field in that sense.

How to politely say that he had never had sex with someone, though...

“It's my first time,” Noctis said.

He had been beaten to the punch. That was fine.

“Mine as well,” he said.

Noctis sat back up and brought himself closer, boldly placing a hand over the one that Ignis had near him on the bed. “Good,” Noctis said, voice soft, filled with something surprisingly possessive.

Ignis's eyes widened behind his glasses as Noctis came closer still and pressed their lips together. Strange to think, it wasn't their first kiss. Noctis, playful as he was, had given him a few teasing kisses here or there in the past as if just to see his reaction. Perhaps each one had been gradually moving them towards this, building the prince's strength until he was confident enough to kiss him with uninhibited passion.

Emboldened by his forwardness, Ignis returned his kiss, sliding his palm against his cheek, holding his face, gently directing him to tilt his chin to deepen it. He heard Noctis sigh contentedly, could taste the essence of his drink lingering on his breath. A little bit of that earlier worry crept into the back of his mind, making him wonder whether he should even allow himself this indulgence, but the hand that curled into a fist in the hair at the back of his head stole those thoughts away.

As they kissed, the hand that had been atop Ignis's moved to his thigh, then was daringly placed over the front of his pants. Ignis internally cursed himself for letting out a sound, but it could hardly be helped. No one had ever touched him like that before, and to think that it was the prince who was touching him was simply unthinkable. His mind was swirling. As that hand began to lightly grope him through his clothing, he melted into the kiss, sliding his hand around to the back of Noctis's neck.

He was surprised when the hand that was touching him suddenly disappeared, but it was only a moment before he realized what Noctis wanted. Taking Ignis's free hand, he guided it toward the front of his own slacks and glanced aside, quietly requesting that he do the same for him. For a second, Ignis thought he might've died and gone to some kind of cruel and magnificent heaven where he was allowed to fulfill his fantasies, but this was clearly reality. There was no mistaking it.

Even when the prince had taken his hand and placed it on him himself, a part of Ignis felt like he wasn't allowed. Now that it had come to this, there was no way he could just back down and excuse this as a bad decision. He really wanted to make Noctis happy. He wanted to make him feel good.

Leaving his lips, he closed his hand around him, and Noctis returned to what he'd been doing as well. With their lips just barely touching, Ignis flicked his eyes up to look into Noctis's.

“You know, Highness, I forgot to mention how handsome you look tonight, as well.”

“Yeah...?”

He moved his other hand from Noctis's neck, gliding it over his shoulder, between the lapels of his suit jacket to touch his chest. “You always look very nice in a suit. It's a shame you don't wear them more often. You should go shopping with me sometime. I have a tailor who'd be more than glad to assemble the perfect suit for you.”

Noctis sniffed. “So that's what you're into. You have a suit fetish?”

Laughing under his breath, Ignis nipped playfully at his jaw. “I simply enjoy seeing you at your best. You should always want to look good.”

Rather than agree, Noctis grumbled. “I'd rather be comfortable.”

That was just like him, too. Although Ignis loved the way he looked in a suit, he wouldn't have it any other way. If Noctis looked that good all the time, it would be difficult for him to get any work done. He'd always be staring.

It was surprising that either of them were able to talk clearly at the moment, but the banter was helping to keep the atmosphere from becoming too nervous. Ignis moved his hand over him steadily, feeling him through his clothes, loosely stroking him in a way that he would personally enjoy. The more he touched him, the harder it seemed to be for Noctis to think, so he tried to match what Ignis was doing. He didn't have a clear technique, but it felt so good just having the prince's hands on him that Ignis didn't mind. It all felt good.

Once he had Noctis to the point that he was panting, his eyes half-lidded, Ignis knew it was time to move on to other things. He didn't know quite what, but as long as he kept moving, then he figured they were going to get somewhere eventually. Holding Noctis's shoulders, he guided him to lie back on the bed and crawled up after him. Sitting beside him, he tried to keep his hands steady as he began unbuttoning Noctis's shirt. Noctis made a slightly apprehensive sound, but he looked away when he realized that Ignis might've heard it. The two of them could both be very quiet with unreliable levels of confidence, so he wouldn't be shocked if Noctis were afraid to do it for the first time. He seemed like the sort who would want to get it over with as quickly as possible so he could be sure of whether it had been worth feeling nervous at all.

“Would you rather lead, Highness?” he asked.

Noctis thought for a second, but he shook his head. “Doesn't matter. Assuming this goes well, we can always try it again a different way in the future, right?”

Ignis could feel his face becoming warm. He liked the sound of trying a number of different things with him, but he was going to keep his assumptions to himself until he had shown himself to be a worthy partner.

Once he had Noctis's shirt unbuttoned, he slid his hands underneath and pushed the front open, revealing his smooth, pale skin. An unusually wild part of him wanted to lean in and taste his skin, to take one of his nipples into his mouth and see what sort of reaction the prince would have, but there was absolutely no way he could allow himself. This was supposed to be their first time. Something like that didn't feel appropriate for a first time. Perhaps the third or the fourth. Not the first. He didn't want to intimidate him.

Instead, he finished the work that Noctis had begun earlier and unbuttoned his own shirt the rest of the way. He didn't bother taking off his shirt, but he removed his jacket to keep it clean. As he worked on his own clothes, Noctis's hands went to his own belt. Ignis's eyes were drawn to him magnetically, and he watched with frozen breath as Noctis slid the belt out of its loops. Looking up to catch Ignis's eyes, Noctis gave him a small, mischievous smile as he let the belt clatter to the floor beside the bed before returning to the other fastenings. Ignis could tell how hard he was, stiff against the front of his pants from all their earlier touching. With the button and zipper undone, Noctis hooked his fingers in the waist of his pants and slid everything off together, pushing them slowly down his thighs.

He was definitely trying to look sexy and was definitely succeeding until he reached his ankles, at which point he kind of struggled to get his pants and socks off at the same time and ended up groaning and fighting with them until he had it all off. Balling it up, he tossed his clothes over the side of the bed and leaned back in only his shirt. After all of that, he tried to keep it together by giving him a seductive stare.

“Really? You're just going to throw your clothes on the floor? You aren't even going to fold them?”

“Is that really what you care about right now?” Noctis laughed.

He couldn't lie. “It's going to bother me, but I'll let it go for now. There are more pressing matters at hand.”

“Hell yeah there are.”

Like, for example, the fact that they were completely forgetting a very vital component of this situation.

“What does that face mean?” Noctis asked, idly rubbing between Ignis's legs with his foot. “You're making a face. It's worrying me. Talk.”

“Lubricant, Highness,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “I'll assume you understand why we need it.”

He was also assuming that Noctis didn't keep anything like that in his room. And he was correct. Noctis looked disappointed to realize they were missing something, but that didn't shut down his mood completely. He was still fired up and ready to keep going regardless.

“We don't have to do it that way,” he said. Sitting up, he moved over to Ignis and started helping him off with the rest of his clothes. Now that he was mostly naked, he didn't even seem to mind. Once he had his pants down, he helped Ignis pull them off and threw them next to his own pile of clothing despite Ignis's protests. Any complaints were silenced as Noctis's fingers closed around him, giving him a few curious strokes before he let go of him and laid back down. “There are other things we can do,” he said. Putting his hands under his knees, he held back his legs, spreading them open for him, giving him the perfect view of what Ignis sadly knew he wouldn't be able to have without the right preparation.

“Highness, I thought you knew that we can't-”

“Not like that,” he muttered. “Come here.”

Confused but curious, Ignis came closer. When he did, Noctis moved a little closer as well, letting go of his legs, hooking them around Ignis's hips. Scooting his hips up, he rested himself in Ignis's lap and looked up at him with his head still comfortably resting on the pillow. Sensing that Ignis was still confused, Noctis reached down, grabbed his cock, and nudged it against his entrance.

“Like this,” he said, rocking his hips slightly. His face was a flaming red, but he acted like he knew what he was doing, rubbing himself against his cock. “You might not be able to put it in, but getting a little taste of what you can't have is kind of exciting too, isn't it?”

Never in a million years would Ignis have guessed that Noctis could come up with an idea like this on his own. But then he remembered what a tease he could be normally and everything suddenly made sense.

Putting his hands on Noctis's hips, he tried to take control, but found it surprisingly difficult to feel like he was the one holding the lead while Noctis's had his hand on his cock and his full weight resting in his lap.

Realizing what an opportunity this was for him, Noctis grinned. “You like it. Too bad you can't put it in, though, huh?” Suddenly, he gasped as he rubbed the head of Ignis's cock directly over his entrance. His own cock responded, twitching against his stomach. “Really is too bad. I wish I could put it in too, but this feels pretty good in its own way. Does this even count? Does this count as sex? Are we doing it?”

“I-I'd say so,” Ignis said, adjusting his glasses with shaky fingers. He wasn't contributing much, but they were definitely doing something sexual together, so it had to count. Even if it didn't meet someone else's made-up qualifications, he was sure that this was going to be something they would remember for a long time.

Ignis hadn't even realized that he had closed his eyes until he opened them and noticed the erotic red blush that had crept all the way from Noctis's cheeks to his neck. He wondered if what they were doing really felt that good to him, but Noctis was surely making it look like he was enjoying himself. Each time he rubbed the head over that spot, he panted and began to move his hips more earnestly. Just being in this position made Ignis worry about how long he was going to be able to handle it. He already felt close to bursting, his head fuzzy, clouded by the hot scent of their skin.

Before he could even stop himself, he was gripping Noctis's hips tightly, muttering a hasty apology as he rubbed himself against him. It was very unlike him, but he couldn't imagine any other way to be at the moment. He'd never done anything like this before, and he was quickly discovering that being in bed with Noctis made him feel like someone else.

That person was probably who he had always been, now freed by the prince's touch.

He wanted him. He wanted all of him. He wanted to thrust into him and stake his claim on him, but he used every ounce of his self-control to keep himself from hurting him. If he wanted to have any hope of keeping him, he couldn't mess it up. It had to be perfect.

Yet, despite those careful thoughts, he knew that his control was slipping; crumbling away quickly. Beneath him, the red face of the prince, near tears in his passion and desperation, made the wild flame in him burn even hotter. He rubbed himself between Noctis's legs, between the soft curve of his ass, then intentionally aimed for his entrance, pressing just hard enough against it to make Noctis think he intended to push inside.

He wanted to. He wanted to do it badly, but Ignis forced himself to stay in control. Firmly pressing against it, he could feel it yielding a little to the head of his cock. It was still resisting him, but it gave him just enough to imagine what it would be like to feel the head of his cock being swallowed by Noctis's body.

Once he slipped into that dangerous thought, there was no way for him to escape it. It was just a fantasy, but looking down at the one moaning helplessly beneath him reminded him of what was real. He was the one responsible for that look on the prince's face. He did this.

Feeling the most conflicting combination of pride and shame, he took his cock in his own hand and came across the prince's chest and stomach.

Putting an arm over his forehead, Noctis looked up at him, his lips parted, breathing heavily.

“Highness...” He felt terrible. “I'm so sorry, Highness. Forgive me.”

Noctis quirked an eyebrow at him, smiling an amused smile. “For what? That was hot.”

He relaxed, relieved that it hadn't bothered him. “I've made quite a mess, though, haven't I...”

“No big deal,” Noctis said. He casually swiped his hand through the cum on his stomach, then wrapped his wet hand around his cock. Ignis had been quite ready to hand him a tissue, so he obviously hadn't been expecting him to do that. Nor had he anticipated how hot it would be to see the prince using his cum to handle himself.

“Do you want me to-”

“It's fine,” Noctis said, keeping his eyes on his face as he stroked his cock. “I think I like being watched. And I can tell how much you like watching.”

Like Noctis suspected, Ignis enjoyed watching, but his hands were still burning to touch him. This all still felt unreal, and touching him felt like the only way to prove that he wasn't dreaming. Gently, he placed a hand on Noctis's thigh and stroked his hand over his skin, warm and soft beneath his touch, exactly like he'd always imagined. It made him grin, seeing the way that Noctis responded as he touched his sensitive inner-thighs. Noctis's hips twisted, lifting off the bed, wanting more.

He wanted to help him, but he decided to observe instead, paying attention to the way Noctis touched himself, storing this important information in his memory for the future. Noctis pressed his cheek into the pillow and tried to hold back his voice as Ignis touched him everywhere else. His thighs were sensitive, but so were his sides and his chest. Ignis leaned over him and rubbed his thumbs over his nipples, teasing him until it was too difficult for Noctis to hold back any longer, letting a few throaty moans past his lips.

After a few more exploratory touches, Noctis came. Squeezing his eyes closed, he grasped one of Ignis's hands and held on to it tightly until the last of it had subsided, leaving him warm and panting.

“That looked good,” Ignis said, holding his hand back.

Noctis made an unintelligible sound, zoned out. “Yeah... It was.”

While Noctis recovered, Ignis got up from the bed and collected their things, folding each piece and setting them down on the top of the dresser across the room. He put on his pants, but he wasn't sure whether it would be right for him to leave. He didn't want to. Though he felt somewhat awkward after all of that, he wanted to be there to hold him the rest of the night, then wake up with him the next morning. When he closed his eyes that night, he wanted to leave the old them behind. They wouldn't be forgotten, but this was a new chapter for them. He could feel how important it was to Noctis, too.

“Ignis...”

He came closer, holding Noctis's pants for him.

“Will you stay?” Noctis asked, slowly taking his arm away from his face, revealing the emotion in his eyes.

As he thought, Noctis was thinking the same thing.

Sitting down beside him, Ignis stroked a hand through his hair, smiling as Noctis chased his palm with his cheek. “I'll stay. Whenever you want me near, I'll be with you, Highness.”

“'Noctis',” he corrected. “We're alone. You don't have to keep calling me that.”

That was true, but the honorable title always rolled off his tongue. He wondered if Noctis could feel his affection each time he said it.

“As you wish, Noctis,” he said, imbuing the name with the same sort of trust and reverence he used when he called him by his title. “I'll be here with you all night, even as you dream.”

That seemed to reassure him. Noctis's eyelids grew heavier, and he curled up on his side, clinging to Ignis's hand. “Sounds romantic...” he mumbled sleepily.

“Are you going to fall asleep already? Don't you want to clean up?”

“Too late.”

Too late, indeed. His eyes closed and he immediately began to snore quietly. Within seconds, he was completely asleep. It didn't feel right to wake him, so Ignis carefully removed his hand from Noctis's and finished folding his pants, placing them with the rest of the clothes they removed. He couldn't just leave him in that debauched condition, so he made a quick trip to Noctis's bathroom and returned with a damp cloth to clean the mess off him. Noctis sighed in his sleep but didn't wake, content to let him do as he pleased. Lastly, Ignis helped him on with a new pair of underwear, then nodded to himself, his work complete.

Getting him under the covers was a challenge, but Noctis was a heavy sleeper, so it all worked out. Ignis slid under the sheets with him, and Noctis instantly rolled over and wrapped his arms around him. There was no escaping now. This was what he signed up for.

Wrapping his arms around him in turn, Ignis buried his face in Noctis's shoulder and fell asleep, thinking about the next day.


End file.
